As part of an ongoing push to enhance maritime defense capabilities, the Dutch Ministry of Defence has procured eight V-BAT unmanned aerial vehicles for deployment with the Royal Netherlands Navy and Marine Corps. These VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) drones are expected to significantly boost surveillance and reconnaissance operations at sea.
The decision to adopt the V-BAT platform was influenced by its field-proven effectiveness during the Ukraine War, where the drone demonstrated strong operational reliability in GPS-contested zones. This capability made it particularly appealing to Dutch military planners, as noted by drone manufacturer Shield AI, which credited the Royal Netherlands Navy with recognizing the system’s battlefield value.
Equipped with long-endurance ISR and precision targeting capabilities, the V-BAT is designed to operate independently of GNSS, which allows it to function in environments prone to electronic interference or jamming. Prior to procurement, the drone underwent an extensive month-long maritime testing phase aboard the HNLMS Johan de Witt, a Dutch Navy vessel participating in NATO’s REPMUS 2024 exercise, further validating its suitability for naval operations.
